An Allard J2 will compete at this year’s Cultra Hillclimb on 1 June in Northern Ireland, 62 years after it was brought to Northern Ireland.
The car has been fully restored and is now owned by Chris Pring from Somerset.
Known as the ‘Festival of Britain’ Allard, the car gained its name thanks to a brief appearance on the firm’s stand at the 1951 Festival of Britain transport pavilion.
It was delivered to Desmond Titterington in Belfast shortly afterwards.
Titterington's fabulous performances in the Allard included winning the 1952 Leinster Trophy and bagged him drives with Ecurie Ecosse, as well as the Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz works teams, plus several outings in a Connaught GP car.
After competing in the 1953 Knockagh Hill Climb in County Antrim, Titterington sold the J2 to Scotsman Jimmy Braid, who shipped the car to Calcutta and competed in local events.
He would sell it to another Scot, Allan Ramsay, who enjoyed further success in India – taking on marques such as Alfa Romeo and Jaguar.
Years later, the J2 was rescued from a scrapheap, packed away in boxes and put into storage, before being returned to the UK.
In the past 12 years it has undergone a fastidious rebuild by The Leiter Motor Co in Dorset, under the supervision of marque expert Paul Weldon.
